


Feelings Erupt

by captainamergirl



Category: Saved By the Bell (TV)
Genre: F/M, Kelly ugh, One Shot, The College Years
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-18
Updated: 2020-07-18
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:07:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,560
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25355236
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/captainamergirl/pseuds/captainamergirl
Summary: A Leslie and Zack one shot I wrote so many years ago!
Relationships: Leslie Burke/Zack Morris
Comments: 3
Kudos: 2





	Feelings Erupt

Zack Morris flung his backpack down on the floor of the coed common room. He went to into the kitchenette and got a glass from the cupboard. He slammed it down on the counter and filled it with cola. Then he put bread into the toaster and pushed down the handle. When it came up black and crisp, he cursed.   
  
“Hey, take it easy,” Leslie Burke said. “If you’re having a bad day, don’t take it out on the bread. It didn’t do anything.”   
  
“Ha ha,” Zack said. “Not. How long have you been standing there?”   
  
“Long enough to see that you are ready to put your fist through the wall,” she said. “What’s eating ya, boy?”   
  
“I don’t want to talk about it,” Zack grumbled. He tossed the burnt toast in the trash and took his drink to the bedroom and then slammed the door shut behind him.   
  
“Oh I can’t let it end like that,” Leslie said. She was a nosy person and wanted to know what was bugging her normally carefree friend. Plus she did care about him – even if she couldn’t admit it to herself.   
  
She opened the door and went inside. Zack had his shirt off. “Hey what the heck?” he demanded.   
  
“Sorry,” she said.   
  
“Turn around,” Zack said. “Or better yet - leave.”   
  
“I can’t do that, Zack,” Leslie said. “I can tell something is bothering you and I want to help.”   
  
Zack pulled on a new tank top. Leslie could still see the curve of his muscles and she had to admit she liked what she saw.   
  
“I told you – I don’t want to talk about it,” Zack said.   
  
“C’mon. We’re friends, remember?” Leslie said. “You helped me ace the biology midterm when I thought I was going to fail. I would like to return the favor.   
  
“So what is it?” Leslie asked. She sat on Screech’s bed, hoping nothing weird would stick to her.   
  
“It’s just … it’s just …” Zack began. “Nevermind.”   
  
“Out with it,” Leslie said.   
  
“How would you feel if you loved someone and they stabbed you in the back?” Zack said, sitting in his desk chair.   
  
“Does this have something to do with Kelly?”   
  
“Yes. I don’t know if you know but Kelly is ‘seeing’ Dr. Lasky,” Zack said. “Can you believe that?”   
  
“Well, yeah. She told me.”   
  
“So everybody knew but me?” Zack muttered.   
  
“No. I just found out yesterday. She told me they were seeing each other.”   
  
“Well I figured out today in class when she spent the whole period making googly eyes at him,” Zack said. “So I confronted her about it and she admitted she has feelings for him. And that she has kissed him.”   
  
“I feel for you, Zack,” Leslie said.   
  
“He’s like … old enough to be her father,” Zack said.   
  
Leslie smiled in spite of her self. “Not really, Zack; he’s not that much older than we are.”   
  
“Do you think he’s hot?”   
  
“What?”   
  
“I said do you think he’s hot?” Zack asked.   
  
“Well … um …”   
  
“You do, huh?”   
  
“Yeah. He’s pretty hot,” Leslie admitted.   
  
“Can you believe Kelly cheated on me – again?”   
  
“What do you mean by ‘again’? Has this happened before?”   
  
“In high school, she cheated on me with a college guy. It seems she is always dumping me for older guys.”   
  
“I’m sorry, Zack …”   
  
“Whatever,” Zack stood. “I’ll get over her. I have before; I’ll do it again. There are hundreds of hot girls at this school to take my mind off of her.”   
  
“That’s the spirit,” Leslie said.   
  
“It will be ‘Kelly, who?’,” Zack said.   
  
“Yeah, good idea.”   
  
“Oh who am I kidding? I love Kelly. There is no other girl for me but her. I am going to be alone forever.”   
  
“Well that’s a fatalistic attitude and one I wouldn’t expect to hear from Zack Morris – Mr. Sunshine.”   
  
“You don’t know what it feels like to be apart from someone you love. Its like someone reached inside your gut and yanked out your liver.”   
  
“You don’t think I know what it feels like?” Leslie asked. “You think I’ve never been in love before?”   
  
“Well have you?”   
  
“Maybe.”   
  
“Who was this guy?”   
  
“That’s not important. But he is – was wonderful. He asked me out half a dozen times at least and I always put him off. Then his old girlfriend returned and … well the rest is history. Needless to stay we aren’t together now and probably never will be.”   
  
“Wow.”   
  
“Wow, what?” Leslie asked.   
  
“Leslie Burke is human with real feelings. Who would have thunk it?”   
  
“Oh be quiet,” Leslie said, and hurled Screech’s pillow at his head. Zack ducked and it feel to the floor.   
  
“You should tell him, Leslie,” Zack said. “You should tell the guy how you feel. Maybe he feels the same way.”   
  
“I doubt that.”   
  
“No seriously. Don’t waste time like I did with Kelly. If you want something, you have to go for it.”   
  
“Zack, your take charge approach doesn’t work with everything,” Leslie said.   
  
“Just do it, Leslie,” Zack said. “Do it – or you’ll regret it.”   
  
Leslie looked uncertain. “But what should I say?”   
  
“I don’t know. Tell him your real feelings. Sit him down and spill your guts.”   
  
“That’s easier said than done.”   
  
“You’ll think of something,” Zack said. “Hey, practice on me. Pretend I’m him.”   
  
Leslie shook her head. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea …”   
  
“C’mon,” Zack said. He came over and sat beside her on the bed. “Now stare deep into my eyes and tell me – uh, him – how you feel?”   
  
“Okay,” Leslie said. She could smell the scent of Zack’s aftershave and it gave her a heady sensation of floating. She would just say it. “Okay I would tell him that I have cared about him for a long time. I would tell him –“   
  
“No, tell me. Pretend I’m him,” Zack said.   
  
“Okay … Zack, you wanted me to date you and I turned you down. I thought you were a player; I thought you were just out to have a good time and take advantage of me. I didn’t realize how much I wanted to be with you until she returned – your ex, I mean. I told myself I was just jealous because I wanted what I couldn’t have. But over time the feelings just got deeper. I would see you in the hall or in class and I would love to see your easy smile, and the way your eyes crinkled up when you smiled. You made me laugh. And when I was sad, I could always count on you to cheer me up. Whenever you would talk about her happily, I wished I was her. You are my best friend. I adore everything about you. But you loved someone else and I couldn’t intrude on that. I lost my chance. But I still wanted you to know that I care …”   
  
Leslie had tears in her eyes but held them back.   
  
“You should tell him what you told me – who ever he is,” Zack said.   
  
Leslie swallowed. “I just did,” she mumbled.   
  
“What?” Zack asked.   
  
“I just did,” Leslie said. “I told you my feelings because you are the guy I want.”   
  
Zack’s jaw dropped. “Ohmigod, Leslie, I had no idea.”   
  
“No, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said it,” Leslie said. “I should go.” She stood and hurried to the door.   
  
Zack caught up to her. He pulled her back and turned her around to face him. “I had no idea you felt this way,” he said. “Why didn’t you tell me?”   
  
“Because you were with Kelly, and you were happy,” she said. A tear ran down her cheek.   
  
Zack caught it with his thumb. “Don’t cry.”   
  
“Just tell me, Zack,” she said. “Have I ruined our friendship by admitting that to you?”   
  
“No way, not at all,” Zack said. “I’m glad you told me.”   
  
“But you’re in love with Kelly so it’s pointless,” she said.   
  
“No it’s not. I would love to date you – to see if we can build a new relationship.”   
  
“Zack, I refuse to be your rebound girl,” Leslie said. “I couldn’t deal with that.”   
  
“But you wouldn’t be,” Zack insisted. “I have always had feelings for you – since the first time I saw you.”   
  
“But you love Kelly,” Leslie said.   
  
“Yes I do,” Zack admitted. “But she keeps hurting me. I have tried so hard to make it work with her and she always turns to another guy. You are my best friend, Leslie, I couldn’t imagine someone else I could fall harder in love with.”   
  
“Zack …”   
  
“Will this convince you of my sincerity?” Zack asked, and he leaned it and kissed her. It was a long, sweet kiss that left Leslie breathless.   
  
“Are you convinced?” Zack asked.   
  
“Not all the way,” Leslie said. “Maybe if you try it again …”   
  
Zack leaned in once again and pressed his lips to hers. The kiss was deeper this time, more passionate. There was need and longing behind it.   
  
“Wow,” Leslie said.   
  
“Yeah, wow,” Zack said. “How about we go to dinner and a movie tonight?”   
  
“I would like that,” Leslie said.   
  
“Okay, pick you up at seven?” Zack said, smiling.   
  
“I’ll be ready with bells on,” Leslie said. She turned to leave and then halted in the doorway. “Zack?”   
  
“Yes?”   
  
“I’m glad I told you,” Leslie said.   
  
“Believe me, Leslie, so am I.”   
  
THE END


End file.
